


Mood Ring 3

by 852_Prospect_Archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: M/M, None - Freeform, Series: Mood Ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 03:42:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/793604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/852_Prospect_Archivist/pseuds/852_Prospect_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Simon and Daryl talk about their need to keep Blair around to guide them.<br/>This story is a sequel to Mood Ring 2.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mood Ring 3

## Mood Ring 3

By Fire Frog

Author's homepage: <http://www.wn.com.au/firefrog/>

The Sentinel is the property of Pet Fly and UPN. All rights reserved. No infringement of copyright intended. No money changed hands. 

* * *

Blair was working with Daryl on the young man's new were-cat abilities. Things were going OK. 

"Look how you move here.." Blair pointed at the video monitor where an awkward looking stocky cat with Siamese markings was cautiously making its way down a set of stairs. "Now watch this." He hit the remote and another cat appeared, going down different stairs, but with a smooth gliding step. "See how she holds her tail. And the paws move more perpendicular." He moved his hands in imitation as he watched the screen. 

Daryl thought that he'd never seen his dad's friend look so cute. He liked it when Blair tied his hair back and wore the glasses. He looked more 'teacher' like. 

"Do you think you could try that?" Blair looked over at him and Daryl gave a guilty start, then frowned and focused on the screen. 

"I still don't see why this stuff doesn't come natural.." he muttered, rubbing distractedly at his head with the back of his hand. 

<sigh> "We've been over this. New body, new rules. You've got a grown body, used to doing things a certain way. You're just as inexperienced at operating this new body as a kitten would be. You'll have to figure out how everything works, only without the bounce back a kitten would have. Learning to walk the walk with the felines is gonna take time." 

Blair moved his glasses for a quick rub at his eyes. Daryl really had a problem with this. The first time he'd morphed had been a disaster, he'd clawed his way around the room like a cat with a broken back, entirely unable to work with the reversed leg joints. Things were getting better, but he still needed to be told it was OK to go slow every now and then. 

"You know what your problem is Daryl? To many bad B movies. Were-wolf bites dude, dude changes at full moon, dude goes out to terrorize township. It's not like that. You have to give yourself time to get used to this. Like a blind person who has regained their sight. It can take them up to a year to adjust to seeing the ground move as they walk. They have to close their eyes or they get vertigo. And you and your dad have a lot more than a different way of seeing to contend with. All your senses have changed, along with balance, and even problem solving patterns. The tests I've done with your dad show a marked difference solving obstacles between man and cat." 

"Yeah, OK. I guess you're right. It's just frustrating. I feel like I should just know it. Show me the tape again - I'll try to watch closer this time." 

Blair gave him an encouraging smile. 

* * *

A while later they shared a quick coffee. Daryl asked how the mood ring he'd noticed that Blair had been wearing lately worked. Blair put on his 'professor' look, peering over his glasses as he held up the ring. 

"The stone is really a man made resin. It changes colour in response to your body heat. Emotions generate heat, so depending on your temperature; the ring is a different colour. Green is basic neutral, black is anxiety, blue is for love or happiness, aqua is calm, amber nervous, brown is troubled." 

Simon and Jim walked in just then and Daryl noted that Blair's ring went from green to blue. He grinned, he might be considered just a kid, but he'd worked some things out a lot faster than the others had. 

"Jim, Simon. Hey, guess what, we're all finished!" Jim smiled and slapped his partners shoulder. An odd feeling came over the young were cat-in-training. He tried to hide his uneasiness as Jim gathered Sandburgs scattered notes while Blair retrieved his videos. Jim had been acting a lot more 'friendly' around Blair lately. They were chatting amiably as they left, which made the feeling worse. 

"What is it son? Is there something you want to talk about?" As always, the guilt of having inflicted the curse on his son was heavy on the big mans mind. Seeing the worry, Daryl spoke to reassure him. 

"Dad, Jim likes Blair - right?" 

"Er..yes?" Where was this going? 

"And you like Blair, and I do too." 

"Yes." 

Daryl turned worried eyes to his father, "Does Blair like us?" 

"Of course he does son. What's brought this on?" /What did Blair say?/ 

"I think...I'm feeling...kind of jealous. I mean...don't get me wrong, Jim and Blair are so right for each other, but, I don't know. Some times I want him all to myself. Not *that* way. But real strong. And sometimes I worry that he'll leave us. What do you think?" 

Simon was surprised by the deep anxiety felt by his son. It was a genuine worry however, he'd felt similar a possessiveness and wondered what it meant. The pull to secure Sandburgs help was almost territorial in nature, and he *knew* he didn't want to butt heads with Jim on that level. 

"I think I know how you feel. But Blair has to many people needing his help. We want him to be 'our' guide, when really he's Jim's. I don't think it's a bad thing, him helping us out. Blair's always taken on a lot of things at once. And he genuinely wants to help us. He wouldn't stop helping unless something bad happened. I mean, look how many times he's gone to the edge for Jim. So long as we don't put to many demands on him, he should be fine. Luckily for us Jim isn't possessive, he's willing to share." /Now how does that sound? Poor kid, divided up between us like some choice piece of meat. I wonder if this kind of thinking is what Sandburg meant by 'Beware reciprocal cat thinking. Their, 'all for one, and that one is me' type attitude, or seeing others as predator/prey.' Now, which was Sandburg's category?/ 

"It will all work out." He gave his son a quick hug. "I'm glad you've noticed this, Daryl. It shows how you've grown." 

Pleased, and feeling more confident now, Daryl dared to ask the question that was truly worrying him. 

"Dad? What if Jim gets upset with him again and sends him away. What will we do then?" 

This gave Simon pause. It *had* happened before, there was no guarantee it wouldn't happen again. 

"Well, we could offer him a home with us. The den can be turned into a spare room easy enough. I'm sure we could organize something." 

They sat and worried together for awhile. It wasn't just Jim they had to beware of, there were offers to Borneo, women in their thousands, all sorts of stuff could happen, and nothing but a sense of friendship to tie the anthropologist to them. 

"You know, if Jim and Blair got together..." 

"That's non of our business, son." 

"Yeah, but if they did, then we wouldn't have to worry about him leaving anymore." 

Simon didn't really like the idea of one of his 'kids' in *that* kind of relationship, but Daryl had a point. Jim loved Blair, would take care of him. The detective would shield him from the kind of harassment such a relationship would bring. Once bonded there would be no separating the two. 

But would Sandburg go for it? Sure, he admired Jim, probably had a crush on the guy, but was that all? He'd only seen him look at women. As if reading his mind Daryl continued to press his point. 

"Blair's kind of shy about it, but he lights up when Jim walks in the room. And that ring turns blue, which he says is the colour for love. Everybody at the university already thinks they're together and he doesn't seem to mind. I think he's just a little scared." Daryl solemnly gave the wisdom that comes with being young and knowing it all. Simon smiled at his son, who continued obliviously, "If we gave our support, we would have Blair caught like a rat in a trap!" He slapped his hands together to demonstrate. 

"Hmmm." There was something to be said for listening to the younger generation after all. "Maybe." 

/I could start making some pro gay comments at work when Blair's around, get the guys in on the conversation, (I know they'll approve, some long standing bet's could be cashed in at last). It's definitely past time I told Jim he should quit stalling and went for it. He's had something in mind for awhile now anyway. The agreement would be off, no more warning him when he stands to close, touches to much, looks to long. Hmmm. This might just work. I was going as chaperone to the cabin with them, but now I think something more important will come up.../ 

"The thought of Blair and Jim being together doesn't gross you out any does it Daryl?" 

"Are you kidding? I'd have 'two' gay friends! The chicks would be crawling all over me!" 

"That's my boy." Simon smiled. 

* * *

Blair had tried to ask Siree discreetly about were-cats, but the exchange had not gone well. The young woman had got it into her head that he thought she could change people into frogs (Blair *had* been trying to be circumspect) and launched into a speech about peoples misconceptions about magic, and magic users. It had taken all his verbal skills to calm her down and explain his interest without revealing Simons secret, but eventually she mellowed. 

As it turned out her only knowledge was of a 'lending' spell that let you see or hear through the senses of an animal. Blair was excited at the prospect of being able to study some of the problems Simon and Daryl faced for himself, this could turn out to be very useful. 

"Mr Sandburg, how much do you want to learn about magic? Because there are certain customs..." 

"Oh, hey. Siree, I'm not looking to butt in on your territory here. I'm just curious." 

Siree looked at him with doubting eyes. "Knowledge is power. It is also a responsibility." For a moment, her voice wasn't that of a young woman. 

"For the weak, succor, for the strong, burdens." He replied in a voice not that of a young mans. 

Ancient eyes met ancient eyes, and something unsaid passed between them. Then it passed. Blair frowned, what had they been talking about? Didn't matter. 

"Hey, want to come to Wonderburger for lunch? I owe Jim, and I need someone to keep my mind off all that grease we'll be eating." 

She giggled at the face he pulled, and agreed. They had to discus how that spell went, anyway. 

End Part Three. 


End file.
